Everglades wading-bird nesting increases amid drought

White ibis nesting totals have soared over the past year from zero in March… (Carey Wagner, Sun Sentinel )

April 21, 2011|By Andy Reid, Sun Sentinel

Drought conditions straining South Florida water supplies actually could lead to a wading-bird baby boom in the Everglades.

Wood storks, spoonbills, white ibis and great egrets are taking advantage of lower water levels in the Everglades water conservation areas west of Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, with increased numbers of the birds nesting in areas normally too soggy for reproduction.

Last month, the South Florida Water Management District's nesting count found 1,050 nests for endangered wood storks, compared to none in March 2010.

There were 200 spoonbill nests, compared to 20 a year ago, while green egret nests went from 130 last year to 7,180 this year.

White ibis nesting totals soared even higher, from zero in March 2010 to 10,000 this March.

Water receding in some areas while still collected in others has allowed the wading birds to feed on concentrated amounts of small fish, according to the district.

Whether the flocks massing in the Everglades lead to a population boom depends on how long the drought lingers.